…Dr. Prince Harding alleges
January 11, 2017 By Mohamed Massaquoi
The disputed Acting Chairman and Leader of the main opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) has accused former Chairman and Leader of the party, John Oponjo Benjamin, to have ordered his personal bodyguard to gun down a supporter of flag bearer aspirant, retired Brigadier Julius Maada Bio.
While addressing journalists at the SLPP secretariat yesterday, Dr. Prince Alex Harding claimed that Mr. Benjamin was the brain behind the shooting incident on Monday which left Ms. Alfreda Yeama Kassay injured at the Law Court precinct in Freetown. Dr. Harding, who is fondly called ‘bullet’ by his supporters, called on the Sierra Leone Police to properly and speedily investigate the circumstances that led to the ‘unfortunate’ incident.
“I want to condemn the action of the personal bodyguard of John Benjamin. We have been reliably informed that he was personally sent to attack and kill Maada Bio supporters at the Law Court on that day. We were also informed that the said individual was also in Kenema during the stabbing of one of the SLPP supporters last year,” he claimed.
He added that the Inspector General of Police should investigate Mr. Benjamin and his personal bodyguard for what he referred to as unlawful possession of fire arm.
However, when contacted through his Mobile phone, Mr. Benjamin denied the allegation levied against him and his security guard, adding that he was not in town when the alleged shooting incident took place.
“Prince and others should find a better way to investigate this shooting and not to cast aspersions on me regarding that ugly incident,’’ he said.